Shaft-coupling



E. w. MIKAELSON.

SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 7, 1920.

Patentd Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI I.

E. W. MIKAELSON.

SHAFT COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED IAN-1. 1920.

1 ,372,44;4;, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 wuemkm a two tau UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERIK W. MIKAELSON, OF EAS'I'ON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TREADWELL ENGI- NEERING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted M 22 1921 Application filed January 7, 1920. Serial No. 349,938.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, E1111; :h IIKAELSO'N, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft- Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shaft couplings for use in rolling mills.

In the form of universal coupling provided with two oppositely located jaws, such as the one shown in the patent to Julian Kennedy, Number 666,144, granted January 15, 1901, the bearing pressure is upon a hearing shoe or brass of semi-cylindrical form.

The bearing shoes being of comparatively.

small area and the forces being of considerable magnitude the bearing shoes wear rapidly. In this type of coupling, in order to replace a bearing shoe, it is necessary to take the coupling apart and then reassemble,

after the bearing shoes are inserted. Thereis no clearance between the bearing shoes and the face of the jaws so that, if the shoes must be first inserted, it is diiiicult to fit the jaws together, particularly as the spindle is heavy and the rolls weigh several tons. Unless the spindle and shafts are in alinement the end thrust will not be distributed throughout the coupling but will be localized in the jaws of the coupling. Such localization is undesirable as the jaws may break if the end thrust is not distributed. The diameter of the jaws cannot be increased to avoid this difficulty as they are limited by the diameter of the rolls.

One of the objects of this invention is the construction of an interfitting jaw coupling having bearing shoes that can be inserted and locked in place after the coupling is assembled.

Another object of this invention is to prevent the localization of end thrusts in the aws.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1, is an assembled view of a coupling embodying the principles of my invention and showing a fragmentary portion of the upper and lower rolls. Fig. 2, is an end view of the enlarged coupling portion of the spindle showing in dotted lines the position of the bearing shoe. Fig. 3, 1s a side view of the enlarged coupling portion of the spindle. Fig. 4, is a detail view of the tapered key. Fig. 5, is a detail view of the bearing shoe. Fig. 6, is a sectional View along the line 6, 6, Fig. 1, showing the location and relative arrangement of the thrust pins. Fig. 7, is a modified form showing the bearing shoes in the jaws of the end of the shaft. Fig. 8, is an end view of a modified form of bearing shoe retaining means. Fig. 9, is a side elevation partly in section of the end of a coupling showing the modified form of bearing shoe retaining means.

The roll or pinionshafts 1, have enlarged ends provided with oppositely located projecting jaws 2, 8, of segmental shape with their side faces on radial planes extending through the axis of the spindle. Meshing with the jaws 2, 2-3 are similar jaws 4, 5 on the enlarged coupling ends of the spindle 6. On the driven face of each jaw of the coupling end of the spindle 6 and on the driving face of each jaw of the other end of the splndle 6 is a recess 10 of a semi-cylindrical form for abearing shoe 7 likewise of a semicylindrical form to fit in recess 10 with the flat side of the shoe projecting to form a bearing surface upon the radial face. The rocking of bearing shoes 7 permits the coupllhg, within limits, to operate as a universal joint.

Upon the outside cylindrical surface of the jaws 4, 5, keyways 13 are cut in close proximity to the radial face to overlap the end of the recess 10. Bearing shoe 7 is partly cut away at one end with a projecting piece 11 beveled to permit the shoe 7 to rock after key 12 is driven in its keyway 13 to lock the bearing shoe 7 in place.

In each end of spindle 6 in line with the axis of the spindle are counterhored holes 14. Thrust pins 15 fit in holes 14. And similarly, the ends of shafts 1 have thrust pins 16 fitted in corresponding holes in line with the axis of the shafts 1. The hples 14 are enlarged at their junction ends to permit assembly and operation if the shafts 1, 1 and spindle 6 are not in alinement. If the rolls are reversibly driven the four faces of the jaws 2 and 3 instead of in the spindle ends.

a In Figs. 8 and 9 the bearing shoe 7 has a groove 20. he end 21 of a plug 22 is shaped to *fit in the groove 20 and to prevent the withdrawal or shifting of the bearing shoe 7 Plug 22 has a shoulder 23 to limit the depth of insertion. Plug 22 is inserted from the outside of the cylindrical surface of the jaw. The counterbored hole 24 in which the plug 22 fits is'tapped at its outer end and a screw plug 25 is screwed down against plug 22 to hold it in place.

WhenroHs are changed it is difficult to place the shaftsin their bearings and to slip the jaws of the coupling into the j aws of the shaft if the bearing shoes must be inserted first, since'there is no clearance between the face of thebearing shoe and the cooperating jaw face'and the rolls and'couplingiare of great weight. By this invention the change can be readily made as the bearing shoes are inserted after the roll is in place and the jaws of the shaft andcoupling, due to the clearance that would have been taken up by the projection of the bearing shoe, can be easily interlocked. The bearing shoes can then be inserted and held in place by any suitable form of retaining means such as by a key or plug.

r This invention is not limited in its use to form a universally movable joint between the spindles and the rolls and roll driving pinions of rolling mills having a vertically movable top roll as it canbe used whenever a strong flexible coupling having bearing shoes is desired.

lVha-t I claim is: r

1. In a. universal coupling having interfitting pairs of jaws, a semi-cylindrical recess in the face of each of the jaws, an exteriorly removable bearing shoe for said recess and having a projecting fiat face adapted to bear against the face of the cooperating jaws, the said bearing shoe being partly cut away with the uncut portion wedge shape, a keyway in the exterior surface of each of the jaws and a. key for said keyway covering the cut away part of the shoe to lock the shoe in position.

2. In a universal coupling having interfitting jaws, semi-cylindrical recesses in the Faces oi said jaws, exteriorly removable semi-cylindrical bearing shoes for said recesses, a groove in the cylindrical surface of each bearing shoe, a plug adapted'to lit in said groove, and retaining means for said plug.

3. In a universal coupling having interlitting jaws, semi-cylindrical recesses in the faces of said jaws, a SG111l(f \'lilldlicitl hearing having a. groove in the cylindrical surface tor each recess, a locking plug adapted to fit in the groove and a screw plug to hold the locking plug in position.

4-. In a universal coupling having intcrfie ting pairs of jaws, SQiDlCylllKlliCtll recesses in the faces of one pair of jaws, exteriorlv removable bearing shoes for said recesses and having fiat aces adapted to bea r against the faces of the cooperating jaws, each oi said bearing shoes being part1 cut awa at its outer end, a longitudinal kcyway in the exterior surface of each of said jaws intercepting the hearing shoe recesses respectivel and akev for said lie wa covering the cut awa part of the shoe to lock the shoe in position.

Signed at Easton, in the county of Northampton. and State of Pennsylvania, this 29th day of December, A. D. 1919.

ERIK W. MIKAELSON. 

